3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks' first home loss of season against Raptors

3. Stud - Derrick Jones Jr.

After another masterclass from Derrick Jones Jr. on both sides of the floor it has become obvious that he deserves to be the starting small forward for the Dallas Mavericks.

Jones Jr. had 15 points, five rebounds, and three blocks while leading the team in the plus-minus column with a plus 11.

In his 29 minutes of play, Jones Jr. shot an efficient 6-8 from the field, including 3-5 from the 3-point line.

The main worry going into this season for the lengthy wing was if he could play on both sides of the floor while making an impact for the Mavs. Jones Jr. has clearly proven he belongs in Dallas and will be a key piece in the future for the team.

With the poor play from Josh Green lately, expect Jones Jr. to have an increased role in the second half of games.

The Mavericks' goal with former guard Reggie Bullock was to be able to have him guard the best perimeter players on the opposing team and still be able to be a knockdown shooter. Although that experiment failed, it’s clear Jones Jr. is on the path to making that experiment a successful one.